Cold storage locker room



5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Roy w smnh.

ATTORNEYS R. W, SMITH COLD STORAGE LOCKER ROOM Filed Deo.

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May 21, wifi).

` May 21, 1940. Wl SMH-H 2,201,411

COLD STORAGE LOCKER ROOM Filed Dec. 25, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Roy W Sm'h. am FW ATTORNEYS May 21,1940. RVV-6mm" V 2,201,411

Patentes May '21; 1re` UNITED STATES PATENT ori-lcs 6 Claims.

My invention relates to a cold storage locker room. It has to do, more particularly, with the arrangement of lockers in a cold storage room,

the lockers being adapted to receive perishable food products or other perishable products.

Recently the use of individual lockers in cold storage plants has become quite popular. Most of the cold storage companies at the present time have cold storage rooms in which a plurality of individual lockers are arranged. These lockers are rented to the general publie. For example, they may be rented to merchants, farmers or large familles so that the person renting the locker can buy large quantities of food at a lower price and store this food in his locker, withdrawing small amounts from the locker as needed. Up until the time of my invention disclosed in my Patent No. 2,165,513, issued July l1, 1939, it was necessary for an individual when he desired to remove something from his locker, or place something therein, to go into the cold storage room where the lockers were disposed. The temperature in these cold storage rooms was usually about zero and, obviously, this extremely low temperature was very uncomfortable to the individual and in some cases was even harmful. However, with the invention disclosed in said patent, these objections were entirely overcome.

The invention disclosed in my patent has gone into Wide commercial use and it has met with the highest degree of success. However, I have found that when it is necessary to provide a locker room installation embodying only a relatively few lockers, it is desirable and more economical to provide a different arrangement of the lockers in the room.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a cold storage locker room arrangement of such a nature that access may be had to individual` lockers without going into the refrigerated space actually occupied by the lockers.

Another object of myinvention is to provide a cold storage locker room arrangement which is particularly useful for relatively small installations, that is, installations embodying only a relatively few lockers.

Another object of my invention is to provide a locker room arrangement of the type indicated which occupies a minimum amount of space an which can be operated at a low cost.

In its preferred form my invention contemplates the provision of a building structure having a novel arrangement whereby the above-indicated objects are accomplished. This building structure is preferably provided with a relatively large room lnwhich the lockers are disposed. This room is adapted to be fully insulated and has means disposed therein for refrigerating it to a very low temperature, for example, zero. A second room is provided directly adjacent the locker room and may be smaller. This second room is adapted to be maintained at ordinary mild room temperature. Between the two rooms is a suitable door. The locker room has a plurality of individual lockers mounted on a turntable disposed therein. When the door between the two rooms is opened by a customer desiring to gain access to his locker, it is merely necessary for him to actuate a control button which energizes a motor` that rotates the turntable. The turntable may be rotated until the customer's own locker moves into alignment with the door, when rotation is stopped and he may gain access to his locker. It should be kept in mind that during all this time, the customer is standing in the room where the temperature is mild and not in the locker room where it is severe.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the upper portion of a building embodying my invention, a portion of the lockers being shown in top plan and the remainder in horizontal section.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken sub-` stantially along line 2-2 of Figure 1 but with the roof of the building also being shown.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing the building structure and the arrangement of the lockers.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the upper portion of one of the lockers.

With reference to the drawings, I have illustrated the building structure in which my cold storage locker room arrangement may be incorporated. This building structure is divided mainly into a locker room I and a customers room 2 which are disposed directly adjacent each other.

. A hinged door 3 is provided for closing the doorway which is provided between the rooms I and 2. The room 2 is provided with a second door 4 through which the customers may pass to andk to be disposed in the locker chamber 5. The j chamber 5 is adapted to be refrigerated to a low temperature in a mannery which will be described. All of the lockers are carried by a turn-table II. 'Ihis turntable embodies a base plate which is carried by a plurality of circumferentially spaced rollers I2. These rollers I2 operate upon tracks I3 embedded in the oor. The `base plate of the turntable is substantially ilush with the floor of room 2 (Figure 2). A thrust bearing I4, of the ball-bearing type is disposed centrally of the base plate and has its upper portion secured to the plate and its lower portion secured to the floor.

This thrust bearing serves to keep the turntable in its centrally disposed position so that the rollers I2 will operate on the circular track I3.

In order to drive the turntable II, the base plate thereof is provided with an annular member I5 secured to the lower surface thereof, and which serves as a large pulley for receiving a V-belt I6 which fits into a V-groove formed therein. This belt I6 extends entirely around the member I5 and passes around a small V-pulley I1 driven by an electric motor I8. yMost of the corners of the chamber 5 are cut away but the corner in which the motor I8 is disposed is not. A door I9 is provided in the side wall of chamber 5, adjacent motor I8, so that access may be had thereto.

As previously stated, all of the lockers I0 are carried by the turntable. All of these lockers have their lower ends resting on the base plate of the turntable, and are arranged in a circle adjacent the edge of the plate. In order to prevent waste of space, each of the lockers is wedgeshaped in cross-section, each locker being wider towards its outer side. Consequently, all of the lockers will iit tightly together, as indicated in Figure 1. The lockers III are preferably made of heavy gage steel. Eachof the lockers extends substantially the entire height of the chamber 5. Furthermore, each locker I0 may 'embody a plurality of vertically spaced locker spaces.r Access may be had to each of these spaces by means of a front hinged door 20 and a rear hinged door 2|. Each of these doors may be provided with Ventilating louvers 22. At a suitable point around the annular row of 1ockers`,fthere is pro` vided a space 23 which is devoid of lockers. Thisy space is provided so that access may be had to the space 24 formed within the lockers.` This space 23 may normally be closed by means of a .I

door 25. This space `24 will space. n,

In order to refrigerate the chamber 5, I proserve as a storage vide a plurality of pipe coils 26 which are dis-s.

posed over the space 24. These coils communicate with a compressor 2l driven by a motor 28. The pipe coils 26 are suspended from the roof by any suitable means. These pipes a're adapted tolV carry a suitable refrigerant. The compressor 21 and motor 28 are disposed in a chamber 29 which is separate from the chamber 5 and which need not be insulated. A door 30 is provided for access to and from the chamber 29. n

'of the lockers.

The motor I8 is preferably an electric motor of the reversible type. It may be controlled by means of a suitable control 3| disposed adjacent the door 3. In order to prevent the cold air from surging out vfrom the chamber 5 through the, door 3, when th'edoor 3k is opened, I provide suitable sealing means around the doorway. This means comprises flexible strips 32 secured to the wall at each side of the doorway and having their outer edges contactingwith the faces These seals will not interfere with rotation of the turntable. A similar sealing strip 33 is provided at the top which rests on the top of the lockers and a similar strip 34 is provided at the bottom which also engages the bottom surfaces of the lockers.

It will be apparent from the above description that I have provided a cold storage locker room arrangement khaving many advantages. When a customer desires to gain access to his individual locker, he merely walks into the room or chamber 2 which will be at ordinary room temperature and which may be air conditioned for comfort. It will merely be necessary for him to open the door 3 and while standing in the room 2, he may operate the control 3| for energizing and deenergizing the motor I8 to cause the turntable to rotate and stop. By actuating this control, he may rotate the turntable until his locker is disposed directly opposite the doorway where he is standing. 'I'he lockers are preferably numbered so that the customers will know which lockers belong to them. `When. the locker is opposite the customer, he may readily remove things therefrom or place articles therein. During all this time, the customer will be standing in the room 2 which has a mild temperature. When he has nished, the customer may merely close the door 3. During the time this ydoor is open very little of the cold air will escape from the chamber 5 due to the seals around the doorway. The space 24 is not used by the customers but will be used by the operator of the cold storage room as a storage space or as quick chill space. When the food is iirst brought into the locker room, it may be first frozen in the space 24 and then placed in the customers locker. To place the food in the locker, after being stored in space 24, it is merely necessary for the operator to open the inner door 2| of the locker space. Thus, he heed not leave the space 24 to accomplish this.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the preceding description, the drawings and the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a building structure, a cold storage locker room, said room being insulated, means for refrigerating said room to bring it to a low temperature, a turntable disposed in said room, said turntable embodying a rotatable base plate of disk-like form, a plurality of lockers which are wedge shaped in horizontal cross section mounted on said base plate and disposed adjalcent the periphery ,thereof in an annular row,

said turntable being so disposed that by rotation of said turntable successive lockers of the annular row will be brought into close proximity to a door in a wall of said room so that access can be had to said lockers, the row of lockers having a space devoid of lockers so that access can be had to the spac'e within the row of lockers,

said door, and means for. controlling said motor from a point adjacent the door.

2. In a building structure, a cold storage locker room, said room being insulated, means for refrigerating said room to bring it to a low temperature, a turntable disposed in said room, said turntable embodying a rotatable base plate of disk-like form, a plurality of lockers which are wedge shaped in horizontal cross section mounted on said base plate and disposed adjacent the periphery thereof in an annular row,

said tumtable being so disposed that by rotation of said turntable successive lockers of the annular row will be brought into close proximity to a door in a wall of said room s0 that access can be had to said lockers, the row of lockers having a space devoid of lockers so that access can be had to the space within the row of lockers, means for rotating said turntable to bring any of said lockers adjacent said door, and sealing means disposed around said door for sealing the space between the lockers and the wall oi' said room adjacent the door.

3. In a building structure, a cold storage locker room, said room being insulated, means for refrigerating said room to bring it to a low temperature, a turntable disposed in said room, said turntable embodying a rotatable base plate of disk-like form, a plurality of lockers which are wedge shaped in horizontal v cross section mounted on said base plate and disposed adiacent the periphery thereof in an annular row, said turntable being so disposed that by rotation of said turntable successive lockers of the annular row will be brought into close proximity to a doorin a wall of said room solthat access can be had to said lockers, the row oi lockers having space devoid of lockers so that access can be had to the space within the row of lockers. said lockers having doors at both the iront and rear thereof, and means for rotating said turntables to bring any of said lockers adjacent said door.

4. In a building structure, a coldstorage locker room, said room being insulated, means for reirigerating said room to bring it to a low tempesatura, a turntable disposed in'said room. a

plurality oi lockers mounted en said turntable and disposed in an annular row, said turntable being so disposed that by rotation of said turntable successive lockers oi' the annular row will be brought into close proximity to a door in a wall of said room so that access can be had to said lockers, the row oi lockers having a space devoid of lockers so that access can be had to the space within the row of lockers, means for rotating said turntable to bring any of said lockers into position adjacent said door, and means for controlling said rotating means from a point adjacent the door.

5. In a building structure, a cold storage locker room, said room being insulated, means for refrigerating said room to bring it to a low temperature, a turntable disposed in said room, a.

plurality of lockers mounted on said turntable and disposed in an annular row, said turntable being so disposed that by rotation of said turntable successive lockers of the annular row will be brought into close proximity to a door in a wall of said room so that access can be had to said lockers, the row of lockers having a space through which access can be had to the space within the row of lockers, and means for rotating said turntable to bring any of said lockers into position adjacent said door.

6. In a building structure, a cold storage locker room, said room being insulated, means for refrigerating said room to bring it to a low temperature, a second room disposed adjacent the ilrst room, a doorway between the two rooms having-a door ordinarily closing it, a turntable disposed in said cold storage locker room, a plurality oi lockers mounted on said turntable, said turntable being so disposed that by rotation of said turntable successive lockers mounted on the turntable will be brought into close proximity to said doorway, and means for rotating said turntable to bring any of said lockers adjacent said doorway so that a person may stand in the second room while removable articles from or placing articles into the locker which is moved into close proximity to said doorway.

EDY W. SMITH. 

